Quantitative analysis by in vivo imaging of the dynamics of vascular and axonal networks in injured mouse spinal cord.

ABSTRACT: Understanding the endogenous repair capacity of spinal cord is pivotal to develop strategies to improve it. Here we design a paradigm of spinal cord lesion in the dorsal column using a 2-photon microscopy technique to dynamically and chronically monitor simultaneous changes of vascular and axonal networks in living mice up to 4 months postinjury. High-resolution images showed that early explorative sprouting of surviving injured axons resulted in extensive regrowth until and past the lesion site within 2 months. Blood vessel density was transiently up-regulated and most neurovascular interactions occurred within 2 weeks. Time-lapse analysis showed that neovessels exerted a potent growth stimulating action, but no guidance effect on neighboring sprouts, possibly because of their geometry an

SUBMITTER: Dray C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2685250 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature